Mr James Stafford's accountant yesterday gave evidence at the Flood tribunal which conflicted with his client's account of when he first knew a cash payment was to be made to Mr Ray Burke by Mr Oliver Barry.
Mr Tom Moore said Mr Stafford, director of Century, told him six to nine months around the time the franchise was awarded, in February 1989, that Mr Oliver Barry, another director, wished to make a cash payment to Mr Burke. Mr Stafford had said he was "appalled" by it and that it was not the way he did business.
This conflicts with Mr Stafford's evidence to the tribunal. He told the tribunal in private in May that the first he "actually" knew about the payment was when he read newspaper reports of the tribunal earlier this year. In July, Mr Hanratty had asked Mr Stafford: "Did you tell Mr Moore before the payment was made that Mr Barry was going to make the payment?"
Mr Stafford had said he did not know and when Mr Hanratty asked if Mr Moore was incorrect he replied: "Yes, he is incorrect." At the tribunal in September, Mr Stafford said Mr Barry had told him at a meeting on March 20th, 1991, that he had paid Mr Burke £35,000. In statements to the tribunal, Mr Barry and Mr John Mulhern, an investor in Century, have stated that Mr Stafford knew about the payment before it was made, in May 1989.
Yesterday, Mr Hanratty asked Mr Moore about the payment and asked when was the first time he had a conversation with Mr Stafford concerning the matter. Mr Moore replied: "As far as I can recall, it was some time within the period of six to nine months around the start of when Century was launched in 1989."
Asked what he was told at that time, he said: "That Mr Barry was contemplating making a payment to Mr Burke and that Mr Stafford said he was appalled at the idea, that wasn't the way he did business, and he didn't want Century Communitions involved in any transaction."
Mr Hanratty asked when Mr Stafford said he was appalled was he describing it to him in terms of disapproval?
"Absolutely," Mr Moore said.
Mr Hanratty said he seemed to suggest it was distasteful. Mr Moore agreed.
Counsel asked what he understood about why he disapproved or why he found it distasteful.
Mr Moore replied: "I think by implication and with the benefit of hindsight that it was effectively some sort of a bribe."
Mr Hanratty said Mr Moore in his statement said Mr Stafford had told Mr Barry he did not wish to be involved or associated in such a payment and that Century should not be involved. "Mr Stafford said that he was going to talk to Mr Crowley about that. I considered it was the appropriate thing to do," Mr Moore said.
Mr Hanratty said that in the statement Mr Stafford had told him that in 1990 Mr Stafford had told him Mr Barry had in fact made the payment. Mr Moore said he was not happy with that statement and, looking at the files, he realised it could not have been 1990 and it was in March 1991.
In cross-examination, Mr Gabriel Gavigan, counsel for Mr Stafford, asked Mr Moore about the time he said Mr Stafford told him about the proposed payment.
Mr Moore said he thought it was at the time of the commencement of the project when the licence was awarded in February 1989. Mr Gavigan asked if anything had been said about a shopping list for a radio licence, Mr Moore said it had not.